Bathildis Ironstout
Bathildis Ironstout is a Bronzebeard Dwarf Brewmaster, born into Clan Ironstout under a Bronzebeard father and a Stormpike mother. She has lived nearly her entire life in the city of Ironforge, training under her father and grandfather at her clan's brewery. Aside from her mastery in brewing traditional Dwarven beers, she is also an trained war cleric with specialties in mounted combat and healing. Characteristics Physical Appearance Bathildis is patient and kind, and it shows in her expression. Her demeanor is often warm and inviting. Bathildis stands only a few centimeters under what is considered average for her kind. Her dark blonde hair frames her round face with traditional Dwarven plaits. Freckles pepper her cheeks. Her skin is pale, from years spent under the mountains, but her muscles are tone from constant work in the brewery and the forge. Typical Equipment When armored she favors a mix of plate, chain, and leather armor. She once carried a bearded greataxe called Fiend Reaver that she had forged for herself from moderate experience in Blacksmithing, however, she lost it over the side of a ship in a rough storm. Now she carries a shield, and a hand-axe that she forged called the Edge of Mercy. The blade is well balanced, is socketed with topaz gems to enhance her healing magic, and is enchanted to return to her hand if lost or thrown. Her armor, while once unassuming and humble, gained small additions of ornamentation as she has slowly ascended the ranks of the Steelgrasp Brigade. Around her neck hung a true-steel holy-symbol with a large sunburst-cut topaz in the center. This holy symbol, though not dissimilar from one she had given to her friend Tyrman Bladebreaker as a token of good fortune, was actually her mother's. She wore it as a constant reminder of the importance of family, then years later buried it with her young friend Burly Darkdraft after his passing. Personality Traits Bathildis is curious, caring, passionate, and hardworking. She's a bit of contradiction as she tends to favor tradition, but is also very pragmatic and open minded. She is trusting to a fault, often making her appear gullible, She also tends to be stubborn, but dislikes stubbornness in others. Despite all of her prudent virtue; however, she has a fiery spirit, and is always down for an adventure. History Early Years Bathildis comes from a small, yet notable Dwarven brewing family with a long history of the craft. She spent most of her youth as many Dwarves do, apprenticing in their chosen profession. However, as is expected in her culture, she undertook military training in the Ironforge Infantry. Her interests strayed away from combat, and instead landed in the realm of helping the wounded. With that, her course was set, and with basic paladin and first aid training, she served for four years as a home-front battlefield cleric. Bath's mother, Helja Stormpike, thought it was important that her daughter learn the fine art of mounted combat, should the need ever arise, so she took riding lessons twice-weekly for two years after her stent in the infantry. Her actual time spent in the military didn't have her seeing much action, so at the end of her tour, she retired back to the brewery to continue her apprenticeship under the tutelage of her father, Alberich, and her grandfather, the small clan's founder, Delkas. Her interest in the clan's noble profession only grew during this time, and her mother's more pragmatic interruptions would become fewer and fewer as the years passed. Bathildis was able to complete her full apprenticeship at her clan's brewery at the age of 50, just before being called to arms to protect Azeroth. The Scourge Invasion and The Argent Dawn When the Scourge resurfaced in the Eastern Kingdoms, invading the major cities of the Alliance, Bath was forced from her comfort zone, donning her axe and her shield once again in service of the Alliance. She worked with the Ironforge Guard to keep the city clean of infection. After the initial invasions were staved off, she traveled North to the Plaguelands in an attempt to aide her people's efforts against the undead forces of Naxxramas. Though never present in the actual raid against the Undead necropolis, she spent several years on the ground, traveling with other clerics to purge the area of the hordes of ghouls and abominations running rampant. While she stuck mostly to healing, it was during one of these raids where she learned of her distaste for war. She witnessed an atrocity, that once the war was over, caused her to hang up her Holy Symbol and retire for a while. Return to the Brewery, the Steelgrasp Brigade, and the Steel Pub She much preferred life as a craftswoman, and returned home to find the brewery in bad shape. Her father had gone missing before the war had ended, and her mother, much more war-minded, was having to run the facilities by her lonesome when she was off-duty. Bathildis took it upon herself to discover new recipes and bring her family's brewery back into the spotlight, allowing her mother to return to the front-lines in Alterac full time. She struggled for a while, but eventually gained some much needed attention. Her talents were recognized one day by Thane Furgas Steelgrasp of Clan Steelgrasp. The Thane adopted her into his clan, and placed her in charge of Clan Steelgrasp's brewery, Steelgrasp Brew Works. From that spawned the humble taproom known as the Steel Pub, which she has run consistently since. Brewing Success After hitting her stride within Steelgrasp, the Clan Ironstout Brewery soared in popularity, serving finely crafted Dwarven beers all over Azeroth! All in the span of one year, Bathildis founded the Ironforge Craft Festival, The Alliance Brewer's Guild, and was promoted to Thane Steelgrasp's personal Council. She even represented her own clan for their first ever Brewfest tent in the year 31. All of these endeavors were roaring successes. She currently spends most of her time pursuing her passion as a brewer; however, will still lend her talents as a cleric when called to action. Azeroth Invasion of the Burning Legion After the Legion assaulted her homeland of Dun Morogh in the year 32, Bath's Thane, Furgas Steelgrasp disappeared on the battle for the Broken Shore. With Steelgrasp's forces spread thin, she was promoted by her peers to reside as Steel Regent over the clan's Council, assuming control of the Steelgrasp Brigade. While the forces of the Mead Hall were spread all throughout Khaz Modan dealing with guerrilla combat from various Legion forces, Bathildis lead the Brigade in a campaign to defend Dun Morogh from further Legion incursion. This included one major battle - the battle for the Ironforge Airfield. Though Thane Steelgrasp returned toward the end of the war, Bathildis still presided over the Steel Council until the end of the war. During the campaign to retake Northeron for the scattered Wildhammer clans, Bathildis and the Steelgrasp Brigade entered into an allegiance named the Stormhammer Covenant with the other clans of the Mead Hall. They entered the cursed halls of Grim Batol, and cleansed it of the Legion's presence. Soon after, the Legion was defeated, and the war over. Formation of The Battlestein Company After the war against the burning Legion, the Dark Titan, Sargeras himself, plunged his blade deep into Azeroth, causing the valuable resource Azerite to gush from the wounds of the titan world. The Steelgrasp Brigade sent forces to investigate in southern Kalimdor, and were engaged in combat by Goblins. As it turned out, Horde forces were present in Silithis and Ungoro to mine this newly discovered ore for it's magical properties. On a mission to rescue prisoners - Dwarven prisoners - from a camp in the area, Thane Steelgrasp ordered the execution of one of the prisoners for having spoken to a known traitor. Normally this wouldn't have bothered Bathildis, but this was a fellow Dwarf who had not yet been tried. Merely speaking to the traitor did not warrant such a severe punishment in her mind, not without evidence of intent to do harm. Upon returning home from this particular mission, Bathildis had a lot of thinking to do. She resigned to the fact that Furgas had returned, and had his own way of running things, most likely influenced by his time spent away. His continued displays of blood-thirst and zealotry did not sit well in her mind. Her Oath was to Khaz Modan first, and her Thane, second. There was a need to rebuild - to stabilize the economy back home. That plus her distaste for senseless war helped motivate her to make the hardest choice she has had to make. She turned in her badge, and resigned from the Brigade. She still loved her kinsmen, but couldn't stand to have anymore blood on her hands. With this newfound freedom, she and several former Brigade members who followed suit, formed the Battlestein Company. This group chose to focus their professional talents on rebuilding some form of normal life back home. Brewers, blacksmiths, alchemists, hunters, blades-for-hire, and more signed on to this conglomerate, and Bathildis stepped up to act as Director for the Company. Note: With the split, the Steel Pub followed the Company, and was renamed to the Battlestein Brewpub. Aside from the name, nothing else changed. Category:Character